MARKET NEWS/ RUMOURS

In view of Catholic Easter celebrations in the West along with Qingming festival in the East (a.k.a. Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day), one would expect this week to be slow, however we had substantial s+p & demolition activity. On the dry-bulk front, the BDI continues fluctuate just above the 900 points. In addition to last week’s sale of C PHOENIX (176K BLT 12/2011 RONGSHENG CHINA), clients of Zodiac have also acquired en bloc her sister DS CHALLENGE (176K BLT 12/2011 RONGSHENG CHINA) for $38 mill.

Clients of Hellenic Carriers of Greece have disposed their panamax HELLENIC SKY (68K BLT 1994/SASEBO/JAPAN) to South Korean buyers for $10.1 mill.

Older unit VALOUR (66K BLT 1985/TAIWAN) went to clients of Regal Pacific for the scrap related level of $5 mill.

Modern supramax OCEAN SPIRIT (55K BLT 2006 NANTONG COSCO/CHINA CR 4X30T) found undisclosed buyers for $20 mill while smaller but same-age FURNESS HARTLEPOOL (52K BLT 2006 TSUNEISHI/JAPAN CR 4X30T) have commanded a slight premium due to her Japanese built and was committed for $20.5 mill to US based buyers. Late 90’s grab-fitted handymax OCEAN SUNRISE 48K BLT 1999 OSHIMA/JAPAN CR 4X25T) was snapped by Syrian or Far-Eastern buyers for $13.5 mill (in line with last week’s sale of younger sister SALVIA (48K BLT 2000 OSHIMA/JAPAN CR 4X25T) for $13.5-14 mill). Clients of Nachipa of Chile have paid the firm price of $15 mill (while others suggest that price was actually lower, at a level in excess of $14 mill) for handy LIVADIA (32K BLT 2003/JAPAN CR 4X30T) while open-hatch unit OCEAN BELLE (32K BLT 1999 SAIKI/JAPAN CR 4X30T) was purchased by Turkish buyers for $10 mill.

In the Tanker segment, clients of Millenium 3 (M3) of Malaysia are reported to have bought the vintage aframax MORNING GLORY (98K BLT 1996 JAPAN) for conversion at an undisclosed price.

At an Admiralty Marshal sale, Clients of Sopetro marine of Nigeria have purchased “as-is where is” in Nigeria vintage product MR FRIENDSHIP T (40K BLT 1991 CROATIA) for the scrap related price of $4.1 mill. Small stainless steel unit CRISTALLO (8K BLT 1991/ITALY) went to undisclosed buyers for $3.8 mill. Korean-controlled stainless steel units YC PRUNUS (8K BLT JAPAN ST. STEEL CENTER/ZINC COATED WING TANKS) & YC IVY (8.8K BLT JAPAN ST. STEEL CENTER/ZINC COATED WING TANKS) were committed en bloc by European buyers for $3.1 mill each.

In the container/mpp/tween segment, Clients of Costamare of Greece are reported to have committed en bloc 7943 teus sisters BUNGA SEROJA SATU & BUNGA SEROJA DUA (103K BLT 2006/07 DAEWOO/S. KOREA) for $48 mill each from MISC of Malaysia.

In the Demolition sector, we had one more busy week. Subcontinent sentiment is steady with prices ranging at $460 for bulkers, at $480 for tankers & at $490 for Tweendeckers/Containers.

In other major demo-markets this week, China remains stable paying $425 while Turkey is improved paying $350 per lt.

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